


Life Loving You

by scorpion22



Category: Descendants (2015)
Genre: F/M, Kidnapping, Multi, Searching for mal, True Love, Unplanned Pregnancy, unknown evil
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-06 15:58:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5423147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scorpion22/pseuds/scorpion22
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Mal's life loving Ben. Follow their struggle to love each other as everyone schemes to keep them apart. Who will win the battle Mal and Ben, or the ones who seek to keep them from each other read and find out. This will be mostly from Mal's point of view.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. He Loves Me

Mal’s POV…

We lay together in the same spot where we had our first date a little over a year before, my head was on his chest his arm wrapped securely around me, and our eyes stared above us at the sun gently setting. I had never felt so safe in my entire life, but with Ben I was safe. I was secure in the knowledge that he would never let another soul hurt me despite the fact I was the daughter of the world’s evilest villain. When we were alone together none of that mattered; when we were alone it was only Ben and me and what we felt for each other.   
“You may love him, but he can never really love you. You will never be his queen; his people will never accept Maleficent’s daughter as their queen,” whispered a tiny sinister sounding voice in my head as it always did when I started to believe even for just a second that he loved me. And I knew it was right, I was the one he wanted now, but he didn’t love me. He couldn’t love me as a king should love his future queen, or even his future wife. But I would be neither of those. Closing my eyes I felt my heart becoming heavy with sadness, but opening them again I remembered that was the future, now he was mine. He was mine and I would love him, enjoy him while he was. I closed my eyes again letting that sinister voice in my head die away as I reveled in the feel of having him right there with me. After a while I felt him watching me, I looked at him my green apple gaze finding his beastly brown eyes, and we smiled at each other. I nearly missed the glint in his eyes, but staring at him more I saw it. What did that glint mean? It looked like a mixture of nerves and fear and for a second I thought I saw love. But that was impossible that voice returned because he could not love me. Pulling me closer, Ben kissed me then his lips sweet against mine as they molded together, and god how I loved the way he kissed me.   
It was times like this that I had hope in my heart. Hope in my heart that he could love me; hope in my heart that he did love me. He certainly kissed me in a way that would draw any girl to that conclusion.   
“Stop dreaming little girl! It will never happen even if you told him you loved him right now he would not repeat it. He cannot love you!” screamed that sinister voice again it reminded me so much of my mother. I wanted to tell that voice to shut up, to yell at it in anger that it was wrong, but I couldn’t because I knew it wasn’t wrong. Ben would never love me. He was still kissing me as this all went through my mind, when my back hit the blanket we laid on though, when he loomed over me looking at me with that same glint in his eyes before attacking my lips once more releasing some of that beast in him I couldn’t concentrate on anything, but him letting him deepen the kiss when I gasped. We stayed like this for how long I have no idea, but when his lips left mine to explore my neck I did not complain I just clutched him tighter. I could feel his hands on my waist probably leaving bruises through the fabric of my clothes; I didn’t care if he did as he tenderly bit my neck leaving his mark for all to see looking at me only when his name left my lips in the form of a whimper of want. And then the kisses ended, the marking of my body ended, and he was looming over me once more both our hearts pounding as we stared each other down. I wanted to tell him I loved him then, but I couldn’t, not until I knew his true feelings for me.   
“Ben, what is it? Why’d you stop?” I whispered my hands moving slow like snakes up to grip his forearms the look in his eyes uncertain. I couldn’t help, but wonder if this was the moment he would see me as the villain. Was this the moment he would leave me? Ben didn’t answer me, he didn’t say a word, but then he held my face in his hands. He stared at me his forehead touching mine and suddenly oh so suddenly he was kissing me again slow this time. My hands instinctively moved to rest against his upper back and when he looked at me again there was the hint of a smile on his face.   
“Mal?” whispered Ben.   
“What is it Ben, you can tell me anything. What’s wrong,” I said gently stroking his cheek before cradling it in my hand.   
“Nothing, nothing’s wrong. I just…I need to tell you something,” smiled Ben moving to kiss my lips. The silence that consumed us then was as thick as butter and I could hear a ticking clock inside my head as I waited.   
“Mal…Mal I…I love you,” exclaimed Ben watching me closely for my reaction.  
Time seemed to stop in that moment as what he said rang in my ears, he loved me; he loved me just like I loved him. The only thing I could think to do was kiss him grabbing him by the shoulders. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I kissed him my fingers in his hair making it unruly, I loved him so much in that moment, I finally knew that he loved me too, it wasn’t all something in my head it was true because he had just said so; he loved me. It was like everything was finally falling into place. And I couldn’t help, but think that this day would forever be the happiest day of my life.   
“Mal? Does this mean you love me too?” asked Ben a hint of a smile on his face then as he looked down at me his eyes searching mine for an answer.   
As he searched for my love in the depths of my green eyes, I knew this was the moment; this was the moment to tell him that I loved him; he need to know that I loved him so much and that I never wanted to be parted from him ever. A wide smile appeared on my face as I moved my hands to either side of his neck my thumbs stroking the spot where his pulse beat rapidly. I was still scared and that voice still spoke sinister words in my head, but I chose to ignore it as I gathered my courage around me like a security blanket preparing to tell him those three little words I had feared I’d never be able to.   
“I love you Ben,” I whispered my words rushed, but sincere as I smiled up at him.   
“You love me,” repeated Ben his smile radiant. My smile was just as radiant as I pulled him closer pecking him tenderly on the lips my heart feeling so full in that moment.   
“Yes, I love you; I have loved you for so long. I will always love you, but I was so afraid you didn’t love me. That you couldn’t love me because I would never truly be accepted by your kingdom, but I do love you. Despite what may happen in the future, whether I’m ever your queen, or not I will never stop loving you,” I cried the tears gathering in my eyes as I thought of losing him someday to someone more worthy to be his queen. And in that moment I tried to hold in the tears because he couldn’t see me cry and once they were at bay I pulled him to kiss me once more. I never ever wanted that to be a reality; I never ever wanted to let him go.   
He said nothing in response. I wouldn’t really let him as I kissed him over and over again; I was content to get lost in him. Now was not for contemplating the future, but for celebrating our love. Our tiny moans filled our lover’s lane as he deepened the kiss my fingers still in his hair making it stand on end and in that moment I wanted to freeze time so it would always be like this. If it stayed like this we could forget it all, we could forget that he was king, we could forget that I was a villain; we could forget that we would never be together like true lovers would. He would never be my husband, I would never be his wife; someday another would come to take him from me no matter how much we loved one another. None of that mattered; we would have to savior our time together while we had it. Part of me knew when the time came I would fight for him, but I knew I would lose. Despite it all, I would lose, and probably be sent back to the isle. But I knew I would still fight for him because he was worth fighting for.   
“This isn’t going to be easy. You loving me, me loving you; no one will ever accept it. Someday we will be forced apart because despite how it may appear your kingdom will never accept that you love me,” I whispered breaking away from his lips then not looking at him as I spoke. It wasn’t until I was done speaking that I kissed him again as if to reassure him that I did love him very much.   
“ I love you,” we breathed together our lips barely parting as he laid down once more my head on his chest listening to the soft thump of his heart, but then he made me look at him his fingers moving like a gentle hairbrush through my hair.   
“You’re wrong. My kingdom will accept you, they already accept you, and they do not care about whose daughter you are. No one will ever take me away from you I won’t let them. To take me away from you would kill me,” whispered Ben running his fingers through my magenta colored hair still.   
“That’s very sweet, but it’s a lie. No matter how much we both pretend that everyone is accepting of my friends and I they are not. They only tolerate us for your sake, but if you ever made me your queen, or tried to marry me they would not accept that. Someday you will need to take a queen and that queen will not be me,” I whispered holding back tears once more. I hated him just a little bit then for being so naïve, for not being able to see behind the smiles people gave to what really lay beneath it all, and even when my heart wanted to believe him it just couldn’t.   
“In their eyes I will always be a villain even if I have committed no crime against them. I am my mother’s daughter, that will always make me a villain in their eyes, and nothing you do can ever change that,” I exclaimed watching as he shook his head in denial of my words. The tears I held back became too much in that moment, I couldn’t stay there any longer, and jumping to my feet I ran from him. I couldn’t hold back anymore, I was always being so strong, but even I had those moments when I needed to breakdown. I could hear Ben calling after me as I moved briskly out of sight of the enchanted lake and him, but I ignored his pleas to come back I needed to find someplace far from here to cry where no one would see me.   
“Mal, please come back,” screamed Ben after me. I could hear him screaming for me, but I still wouldn’t stop. I was already crying my tears for what the future would hold for us and he could not see them. He could not see me cry, he could not see me as the fragile little thing I truly was; he must always see me as strong. But I couldn’t run away from him it seemed because soon I felt his arms around me drawing me to a halt as he swung me around to face him.   
“Mal? Don’t run away from me, please talk to me so we can get through this together. Please don’t be afraid to cry and tell me how you’re feeling. I love you Mal; I only wish to make you happy,” whispered Ben his voice stern yet urgent as he kept a tight hold on me so I couldn’t run anymore. I looked at him, there was no use hiding my tears from him anymore, he had already seen them as much as I wished he hadn’t, but now I didn’t hold back as I let everything loose. Ben only stared at me at first as I stood before him openly crying for the first time and as my whole body shook from beneath his hands he pulled me close letting me cry without a word. And I let it all out then, my tears for what the future had in store for us, and when I finally had the strength I looked at him. I looked up into his eyes only to find he was crying too. He was crying because I was crying and that only made me love him more.   
“Mal, please talk to me; let us work this out together,” exclaimed Ben finally taking my hands in his our heads touching once more. But still I said nothing, what was there to work out? We had no choice in some matters in life that was just the way it was. I had no choice in loving him, he had no choice in loving me, but we also had no choice in the fact that we could never be together until death do us part like most couples. We were destined to be apart that was just the way it was. I thought I had cried all the tears my body could hold, but I was wrong because at that thought I cried more. My heart was breaking and there was nothing I could do to mend it. Even as he crushed me to him once more his arms holding me to him with all his strength I cried more because I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone and I knew the battle I would fight to be with him was a losing battle. Wrapping my arms around his middle I buried my head in his chest feeling as he only held me tighter kissing the top of my head.   
“I love you Mal, please, please, don’t cry,” cried Ben his tears making his voice crack. Looking at him then as we stood there crying together our tears covered both our faces like a veil. I hated myself for causing those tears, but at the same time they warmed my heart. Here we were standing here all alone crying and I couldn’t help, but think that this was one of those moments. This was one of those moments like every moment I would have with him that I would never forget.   
“I have to cry love does that sometimes. I love you so much, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, but they will never let us. There are higher powers, people who will keep us apart, and the thought of it just breaks my heart,” I exclaimed fisting my hands in the silk of his shirt. He was mine, he was my love, and yet at the same time he wasn’t. Someday I would have to watch him with another woman, a woman his parents picked for him, a woman who would never love him the way I did, and I would be forced to live my life loving him. I would live a life loving him, but never having him. As I continued to cry, Ben stood there with me in his arms, he appeared to be processing everything I had said, and finally he looked at me. The look in his eyes was determined, so determined that for a moment it gave me hope, but only for a moment. And then he made me look at him my face in his hands as he peered into my eyes.   
“Don’t you think that way. Have a little faith in my love, in our love because we will be together. I love you Mal, I couldn’t give a damn what the kingdom thinks, I love you; I don’t want to spend a day without you. And if these higher powers as you say want to break us up they’ll have to fight me off because it will take an army to take me from you,” growled Ben a hint of the beast he held on a tight leash inside himself coming out to play as he suddenly scooped me up into his arms holding me possessively. We simply stared at each other than as he held me refusing to let me go the brown of his eyes changing to a deep dark black that turned me on in so many ways. He was my beast, my love, my man, and I loved him so much even if deep down I would never believe what he said until it was a reality. He dried my tears then I dried his, our eyes never strayed from each other, and then pecking him teasingly on the lips we stared at each other once more.   
“No more doubting us, or the love we have Mal. As long as we love each other we will have our happily ever after. Together we can survive anything thrown our way. Right?” whispered Ben giving me a questioning look our heads touching as if that would allow him to read my mind. Looking at him then, I wasn’t so sure if what he said was possible, but I wanted it to be. I wanted us to fight for our love and it made me smile that we would fight to be together, together. It only made me love him more and kissing him with so much heat I nodded feeling as his grip tightened around me. He didn’t put me down and something told me he wouldn’t until he absolutely had to.   
“We will fight to love each other together,” I whispered gripping the silk of his shirt as I pulled him into yet another heated kiss feeling as he nodded in return. Still kissing me, he started to walk further down the path that led back to school and I silently wanted to tell him to stop, but I couldn’t. We couldn’t stay there forever, eventually we would have to go back to face the world, and the thought that we would face it together filled me with confidence. Confidence for the future, now I thought maybe there was a chance that we would win, and maybe we would be together until death did us part. When our lips parted, I laid my head on his shoulder; my mind was filled with so many conflicting thoughts now. And even worse that voice was still speaking inside my head trying to make me doubt everything he had said, but I drowned it all out choosing to focus completely on him. When I did that that voice was nearly nonexistent.   
“Ben?” I breathed so low I was surprised he heard me the first time.   
“Hmmm,” breathed Ben his lips moving to kiss my forehead his arms still holding me so tight I couldn’t help, but feel so safe. I had never felt safe before, but he changed all of that.   
“I love you,” I whispered placing a kiss on his cheek.   
“I love you so much,” I continued placing a kiss on his lips this time. It was quick, but it stopped him in his tracks. He stood there with me in his arms, he was just staring down at me the cutest most heartfelt smile on his face, and finally as we stood there in the middle of our path he kissed me. This kiss wasn’t quick like mine had been; it was passionate and the kind of kiss that lit women on fire. And it lit me on fire in that moment.   
“I love you too,” smiled Ben moving to continue kissing me as he started to walk still carrying me in his arms. He carried me all the way home and I couldn’t help, but think that as long as he was by my side this place would be my home.


	2. An Evil Plot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Forces conspire to keep Ben and Mal apart. A plan is formed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> from a different point of view, but I’m not telling you who’s because that is a surprise I’m saving for later. Feel free to take a guess though.

I watched as Ben and Mal re-entered the school.   
“Ben, you can put me down now,” laughed Mal looking at him as he still carried her through the door. But then finally he set her down looking down at her with the glint of love in his eyes. Ben wasted no time pulling her by the waist into his arms claiming her lips with a beastly passion. Her arms went around him fisting into his hair a disgusting moan leaving one, or maybe both of them. His own hands went down to grip the swell of her ass and pulling back from him she swatted him playfully pecking him on the lips. From my hiding place it was clear, they were in love, and that was not good. They couldn’t be allowed to carry on like this. What would happen to the kingdom? The mere thought of it made my heart hurt the idea of what she could do to this kingdom. It all made me ill and the prince was so doe eyed in love he would do nothing to stop her.   
The boy king was in love with her. And though Mal could be a sweet girl there was still the evil in her blood. She was the daughter of the most evil woman that had ever lived and despite everything the king couldn’t be allowed to love her. For the sake of the kingdom, it couldn’t be allowed to happen. Somehow it had to be stopped because if not just by the scene before me I knew what the future would hold. He loved her, he would marry her.   
“She can’t be allowed to be queen,” I thought closing my eyes at the thought of the heirs they would produce and what they could do. Those heirs could turn out to be as evil as Maleficent then the kingdom would truly be doomed.   
Finally as I watched them, they ended their gross display of affection and began walking down the hall. They were hand in hand her head on his shoulder as he put an arm around her. If only her mother had been someone else it all would be so different, but unfortunately it wasn’t. It was all so sad in a way. I couldn’t watch it anymore and disappearing with a flourish I knew one thing; this had to be stopped.   
“It’s about time you arrived,” came a voice as I appeared with a burst of magic. I was in a dark room lit only by dozens of candles and sitting at the table in the center of the room their faces covered were my fellow protectors. We were the protectors of this kingdom. I stood in a room made completely of stone, my fellow protectors looking at me; I was the only one with the black hood of my cloak down allowing them to see my face. And taking a seat at the only empty seat I looked into the unknown blackness of their cloaks.  
“Well, what news do you bring about the boy,” snapped the figure to my right.   
The hairs at the back of my neck stood straight up as every eye stared at me waiting for me to speak. Although we all had the same goal, the protection of the kingdom, sometimes my fellow protectors truly frightened me.   
“Ben has fallen in love with that girl. I witnessed the way they interact, the way they look at each other. They are in love and it must be stopped,” I declared my voice wavering as I considered the choices we had to do so.   
“Of course, but how are we to do this? The boy is still the king, we can’t very well get rid of him, and we can’t make him stop loving her. That is impossible. What are we to do?” exclaimed another unknown figure who sat across from me.   
“That is a stupid question for the boy is not the problem. The problem is her so we must get rid of the girl then the boy can find a true and proper queen to rule beside him,” snapped the figure to my left and we all knew he spoke the truth. He spoke the truth, but I couldn’t help but wonder what that would entail. Would that mean us killing her? I didn’t want to have to kill the girl despite the fact of who she was she didn’t deserve that. But she couldn’t be allowed to be with Ben somehow she would have to be handled. But how?   
“How do we do that? We can’t kill her. I’m telling you the boy loves her and if we sent her back to the isle he will go searching for her. So, we can’t send her back either,” I exclaimed speaking the words every one of them was thinking. And from the silence that filled the room none of them had the answer. It was a question that very well might have been unanswerable until suddenly one of them spoke.   
“Let’s create a special isle just for her. We’ll put her there and never let her leave then the kingdom will be forever protected from her. And the king shall never find her no matter how hard he looks. He’ll search for her, but he will find nothing. And sooner or later he will give up and find himself another love. Someone worthy of his love,” exclaimed the figure to my right and the sinister edge to his voice gave me chills.   
“You could do that couldn’t you my dear? After all you did it once before,” asked the figure looking at me causing everyone else’s eyes to fall on me too. I didn’t answer for a long time; I hadn’t expected them to think of such a thing.  
“Could another isle be created,” asked each of them nearly at the same time all their eyes still on me.   
I remained silent then as I stared at my hands as they lay on the rough hard wood table. What they were asking was possible, but it wouldn’t be easy. The first isle took me nearly over a year to construct and this one would take the same amount of time maybe even more. It would have to hold Mal and I had no doubt somewhere inside her she was just as powerful as her mother. It would take a lot of magic to hold her.   
“Another isle can be constructed, but it won’t be easy. It will take a lot of magic and time to get it made. As long as it took to make the first maybe even longer,” I explained my eyes still on my hands.   
“Why, it doesn’t need to be as strong as the first? The first isle had to hold all the villains this one would only have to hold one girl. It should be much easier this time,” snapped the figure across from me. I stood up in that moment thinking that they couldn’t possibly be that stupid. She was not a mere girl; she was Maleficent’s daughter. Laying my hands flat on the table I stared the figure down my voice serious.   
“Don’t underestimate that girl. After all she is Maleficent’s daughter. This isle will have to be just as strong as the first if we hope to hold her captive,” I exclaimed my voice raising.   
“Agreed, but this isle must also be hidden,” said the figure to my left.   
“Hidden, but why?” I whispered my heart filling with foreboding.   
“It is something we should have done in the first place then we wouldn’t be in this situation. The boy will search for her you know that and if he sees a mysterious isle floating a ways away he will get curious. We never want him to find her,” whispered the figure to my left. I didn’t like the sound of it, but I couldn’t deny that they were right. Ben could never find her so this isle must be well hidden just as the first should have been. And then I couldn’t help, but wonder if this was wrong. If we did this what kept us from becoming villains. Villains took away happy endings and right at that moment I couldn’t help, but think that that was what we were doing. And then suddenly the meeting ended with me only knowing that I was expected to create another isle. An isle to hold Mal for the rest of her life forever taking her happy ending from her. Just like a villain.   
Each of us disappeared in a wisp of magic and as I appeared in the hall of the school once more I once again felt that foreboding. I tried to tell myself that what we were doing needed to be done for the kingdoms sake. But as much as I said it I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was wrong. That this would forever make me a villain. By getting rid of Mal and hiding her away on an isle all her own were we making ourselves villains? I just didn’t know anymore. Despite my head telling me that it was for Ben’s own good, for the kingdoms own good; I couldn’t help, but listen to the whisperings of my heart as well. And it was telling me that this was wrong, so wrong.


	3. A Light Known as Evie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Evie and Mal talk chasing away Mal's fears.

Mal’s POV…

I lay in bed that night in the room I shared with Evie, but I didn’t sleep. All I could do was stare at the ceiling the events of Ben and I’s date running through my mind. The words I had thought I would never hear had left his lips. He loved me, my Ben, he really truly loved me. The voice had kept me believing that it couldn’t be true, but today it had been proven. Ben loved me and though that evil malignant voice kept trying to make me believe otherwise yet again I would never think anything but. He loved me, I knew that now, and I would never doubt it again. Despite what that voice said, I knew it wasn’t a lie, or a trick; Ben loved me. He loved me as much as I loved him. With all his heart and smiling into the darkness I felt warm even gooey in a way as the love I felt for him surged through me giving me strength to fight the voice within.   
My roommate and best friend, Evie must have sensed my wide awake state. Her voice was like a light in the gloom in that moment as my name on her lips echoed through the room. Hearing it made me smile wider, Evie was my favorite person in the world, and part of me was teaming to tell her of the events of the date. I knew she would be as ecstatic as I was and that she would keep the voice from bringing me down.   
“Mal, why aren’t you sleeping? Is something wrong?” said Evie her voice laced with her love and concern. But beneath all that sleep lingered too and turning in the direction of her bed I couldn’t see her. I knew though that she was sitting up in bed though giving me that motherly look that I really loved though at times I pretended not to.   
“Sorry, Eve…am I keeping you from your beauty sleep?” I whispered my smile not fading. Silence filled the darkness then, I thought for a second she had fallen asleep again, but that was soon corrected. Suddenly Evie was next to me in bed the weight of it shifting as she sat in front of me her legs crossed and her hands seeking out mine. I didn’t have to see her to know she was wide awake now and by the way my bed bounced she was her usual cheerful self even this late at night.   
“I’m beautiful anyway…now spill it. What has you so happy?” exclaimed Evie letting go of one of my hands to turn on the light on my night table. Blinking, I stared at her then as I prepared to tell her all as I always did. I had never hid anything from Evie; she was like my sister, so even if I tried she would know. We knew each other completely and looking at her I smiled knowing that would never change.   
Whether on the isle or not Evie had been my best friend for as long as I could remember. I loved all three of my friends, but Evie was special. That was a lingering thought on my mind as I prepared to tell her everything.   
“Spill it,” smiled Evie taking both my hands.   
I didn’t answer her right away, I wasn’t sure how to say it; in the end I found there was only one way.   
“Ben told me he loves me,” I said on a burst of energy. The reaction I got was just as I expected, Evie had a smile nearly as big as my own as she bounced on my bed more wrapping her arms around me.   
“I told you…I told you he loved you and I was right. Thank god he finally said it to prove me right and you believe it…finally,” laughed Evie kissing both my cheeks before pulling away. Our hands remained together as she bounced in her excitement, that alone making me smile, but then that voice had to ruin it. It was just a breathy whisper, but still it made me stop. I didn’t want to listen to it, I didn’t want it to be in my head, but there was nothing I could do. It was like I was drawn to it.   
“Stop being stupid, Mal. That boy does not love you…it’s all a trick,” hissed the voice making my smile disappear as it screamed this repeatedly making me cry out with the pain it sent through my brain.   
“Stop being stupid,” growled the voice again making me close my eyes letting go of Evie’s hands to cover them. And as Evie’s hands cupped my cheeks making me look at her I didn’t have to tell her what was going on in my head; she just knew.   
“The voice?” whispered Evie her eyes losing their happy glow.   
“Yes, it won’t leave me alone,” I whispered my voice cracking ever so slightly as my eyes closed in an attempt to ignore every evil word.   
I hated it, that voice; I hated how every time I felt a second of happiness that that voice would escape its cage to torment me.   
“Don’t you let that voice spoil it, Mal.? You stay happy, you be happy about what’s happened today,” exclaimed Evie pulling me into an equally cage like hug.   
“I can’t, Evie. It won’t let me,” I cried my tears staining her shoulder. I thought then of that day, of that kiss Ben and I had shared, and of the three words that had filled my ears from his lips. I believed those words, but I believed other things too. As much as Ben had tried to persuade me that I was wrong, that there wasn’t a dark force out there that would try to end us I knew different. I don’t know how I knew, but somehow I could sense it. They were out there ready to tear us apart. But now I knew something that would make it all the harder for those forces to do so.   
“Ben loves me,” I whispered my head on Evie’s shoulder still.   
“Yeah, Mal, he loves you, and so do I. You’re my sister; I love you too,” whispered Evie stroking my hair as she held me in my moment of distress.   
“I love you too,” I cried letting both our words echo in my head in an attempt to drown out the voice still screaming at me.   
“Tell me what you’re thinking, Mal,” whispered Evie drawing away to peer into my eyes. The soft look in her eyes kept me from falling into my head where the voice was and smiling a tiny smile at her I knew no matter what I could count on her. She would be my tether tying me down when I wanted to fall. That was one of the reasons I would always love her.   
“I was so happy a minute ago, Evie. I mean I finally know that he loves me, but this voice won’t let me feel it. But it’s not just that…I know there’s something out there that is going to try and break us apart. I know that and I don’t know how to stop it. I don’t think if I fight them that I’ll win,” I explained my eyes boiling over with tears.   
Evie made me look at her and I found her smiling. She brought her head to connect with mine, she clasped my hands in hers again, and looking into her eyes they said it all. Evie didn’t need to say a word; I already knew what she was going to say.   
“Never doubt yourself, you survived the isle; I know you can survive whatever’s thrown at you here. The three of us wouldn’t have survived the isle without you, Mal because you are strong. You’re a fighter. You can do anything I know that,” whispered Evie making me smile through my tears. I wanted to hug her in that moment and was going to, but the squeeze she gave both my hands stopped me. Looking into her eyes now I knew she wasn’t done, so I gave her my full attention not sure what more she could say to reassure me.   
“Mal, if these forces you talk about do come after you, you’re not alone; you are never alone. As long as Jay, Carlos, and I are by your side we will fight with you. We’re a family…for the longest time we were all we had, and if someone comes after one of us they come after all of us,” whispered Evie her voice firm as she smiled pulling me in to hug her finally. And as I cried at those words of endearment she cried too.  
“Thank you, Evie,” I breathed both our shoulders shaking with the strength of our tears. She had lifted a load from my shoulders like she had done so many times before and that was one of the reasons I loved her. But still a thought wouldn’t leave my mind; a thought of my deepest darkest fear.   
“I’m afraid, Evie. I’m afraid that if they can’t break me and Ben up that they’ll just find a way to get rid of me,” I whispered not having time to say anything more as she suddenly pulled away holding me by my shoulders.   
“No one is getting rid of you; we will not let that happen. If anything ever happened to you we would never stop looking for you; we love you, Mal,” exclaimed Evie both of us still crying. We dried our tears then with a smile, neither of us would be crying anymore that night. Eventually the lights went out too and we lay in my bed staring at the ceiling in silence like I had been doing before. But this time it felt ten times better doing it with Evie.   
She didn’t return to her bed that night, she ended up falling asleep by my side with her hand in mine, and for a moment there as she slept I remembered the isle. I remembered those nights she would climb through my window because she was scared. I remembered talking all night with her until we fell asleep and I smiled. Living on the isle hadn’t been completely terrible and mostly because of my three friends. I don’t think I would have survived without them. Evie’s words ran through my head kicking the voice to the curve and I smiled as my eyes closed. Her words chased my fears away. I knew they wouldn’t stay gone, but I had faith that with Jay, Evie, and Carlos by my side I would be okay. I had everything I needed to beat anyone who stood against me. I had Ben, he loved me, and I loved him. I had my three best friends, they loved me, and I loved them. As long as I had them backing my play I would be alright despite the forces working against me.


	4. Happiness, Peace and Feelings Brand New

Mal’s POV…

What Evie said that night was something I never forgot, not for a long time. She always knew how to sooth my thoughts and they were indeed soothed. For now I was secure in the thought that if something did happen to me, they would never stop looking for me, she would never stop looking for me, and neither would Ben. Because of what she said, I didn’t fear the outside forces wanting to keep Ben and me apart. I knew they were there, but I wouldn’t fear them. Instead I would fight them when the time came.   
“I’m happy, truly happy,” I remember thinking that so many times in the days that passed and I was not the only one. For once we were all happy. Darkness no longer lingered in my mind, my worries were forgotten, and all that mattered was the deep happiness I felt because of the people I loved. My days, but also my life was suddenly complete.   
I spent them with Ben and my friends. Ben and I would walk hand in hand, my head would rest on his shoulder; we were the picture of love. And when I was with my friends, Evie, Carlos, and Jay life was never boring. No matter where we went, or what we did the day was filled with laughter. We would cause our own modified form of chaos, but nothing to hurt anybody just bring a smile to their face with a single trick. And in the middle of the night when I was with them only then were we truly peaceful. It was a peace we had never known on the isle. Lying in the soft silk green grass, we would gaze above us at the beams of light known as the stars, we would imagine our lives on the isle, and none of us had to say it. We knew it; we knew we were lucky to have ever escaped it.   
“We’re never going back, right?” Carlos would always whisper looking at me for the affirmation he needed.   
“No, we’re here to stay,” I would answer giving him a smile. And we were. We were free, finally.   
I remember that particular day so vividly, that day, and many times like it. One day in particular I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Ben and I were walking together in the dead of night. His arm was around me making me feel so safe in that moment, it was meant to be our last walk for a while I thought. The summer was coming and we would be apart until the new school year began. I was not looking forward to being separated from him. I hated that he would be going home while I would stay at school with my friends. I never ever wanted to be parted from him and had told him as much leading him to find a solution. He was always able to fix any problem and this time was no different.   
“Hay Mal,” breathed Ben his lips against my ear making me shiver in a not so unpleasant way. I loved when he would talk to me in the tone he did, the way he would kiss my ear after he spoke as he was now just drove me wild, and looking at him I couldn’t deny that he made me feel things I’d never felt before. I just loved him so much.   
“Yeah,” I sighed the thought of being apart from him suddenly dominating my heart.   
“I wanted to ask you something,” continued Ben stopping us. I peered up into his beastly brown eyes and he made my heart pound with the look he was giving me. It was filled with so much love and passion. And it was all for me. He felt all of that for me. I knew that for sure when he pulled me into the strength of his arms our foreheads touching as he looked into my eyes. Our lips were inches apart then and all I wanted to do was kiss him. But I waited; I waited to hear what he had to say first.   
“What is it, Ben?” I breathed breathing the same air as him in that moment. But he hesitated seeming to get lost in the burning green of my eyes. It was him then that closed the distance kissing me sweetly yet intensely before looking at me with so much affection it was nearly smothering. But I liked the feel of being smothered by him.   
“Well, you know how I don’t want us separated over the summer, so…I was hoping you would accept the offer of staying with me,” exclaimed Ben his words coming out in a jumble. His words surprised me greatly. I hadn’t expected them, but I had an answer almost immediately.   
“Yes…but,” I began holding him off when he moved to kiss me.   
“Why is there a but?” said Ben almost immediately his face falling into a mask of sadness.   
“There’s a but because I can’t just leave my friends to rot here over the summer while I go off with you. We’re a family, Ben, I can’t just leave them. If I go, they have to go too,” I exclaimed my tone clipped more than I wanted it to be. He was silent a moment, it was a moment too long for me because I hoped beyond hope that he would understand, but it wasn’t appearing that he did. Just as I was going to leave him there and walk away though he gave me an answer. Ben suddenly kissed me with a fierce tenderness that made magic flicker in my veins. He held me in his arms like a king would his queen and when he finally pulled back the look in his eyes was nearly animalistic. And when he nodded his yes, I couldn’t hold back either; I grabbed his collar pulling him back into another kiss.   
I never wanted that kiss to end. It was incredible as all our kisses were and when his hands moved over my body in a completely new way I shivered wanting something though I didn’t know what. But all too soon it was over and we were peering into each other’s eyes. There was something new in his eyes and I had no idea what it meant, but I wanted to find out. Looking at him, I never wanted our lives together to end; I loved him, with all my heart. I love him and he loved me, with all his heart.   
“Do you mean it, they can come too?” I exclaimed slightly out of breath after that kiss. Our lips were still meters apart and I couldn’t restrain myself I leaned in pecking him on the lips.   
“Yes, like you said they are your family, so they are mine too,” smiled Ben attacking my lips almost instantly. I wrapped my arms around his neck and as we fell into the bark of a tree I felt so happy. I never thought I could love him more, but he had proved right then that I could love him more than I already did. I loved him so much sometimes I thought my heart would burst with the strength of my love. Deepening the kiss, I let my tongue clash with his as my fingers mussed his hair, and the feeling of his body over mine did things I didn’t understand. I felt tingles between my legs, I felt shivers all over my body; I felt something carnal building inside me. I didn’t understand it, but I wanted to in that moment. Because I had never felt anything like it before, but then again until I met Ben I had felt nothing at all. I felt his beastly nature as he gripped me in all the right places. I felt fire running over my skin as he growled loudly into the kiss we shared. I felt amazing things, such amazing things. But most of all I felt the erratic beat of our hearts as we kissed with love in each movement. No one had ever made me feel the way Ben did and I knew no one ever would again.   
“What about your mom and dad? Will they be okay with this?” I gasped as our lips finally separated both our breathing labored. Ben actually laughed at me then his gaze as heavy lidded as my own as he cupping my face in his hands. Holding me like I was made of glass, that smile on his lips made me giddy as it always did.   
“Of course, it was partly their idea in the first place. That and they love you, all of you, and when I tell them what you said they will agree immediately. What’s most important is we won’t be apart. We will be together. If I have my way we’ll be together forever, Mal,” exclaimed Ben giving me one last kiss. I slumped into his arms then as we walked once more his arm around me, protecting me. He always knew how to protect me, how to make me feel safe; it was one of the many things I loved about him.   
I knew that he was right. In the beginning the relationship between his parents and I was strained especially after Ben’s coronation. But as time passed that changed. Belle was the closest thing to a true mother I had ever had and Adam while not a father figure was what I considered a very good friend. We would play chess, talk, or once he even let me advise him on the way of life on the isle. As I walked with Ben that night I realized that they were my family now too. I really liked that in fact I didn’t just like it, I loved it. That night ended on a peaceful note that was still something I was getting used to. On the isle nothing was ever peaceful, but here there always seemed to be moments of peace every day. It was wonderful and once I grew used to it I didn’t think I’d ever be able to live without it. We walked together for what must have been hours, but seemed like seconds. But all too soon it was time for us to part. As Ben walked me back to the dorm I shared with Evie that night we still walked extra slow though I must admit part of me was excited to tell the gang about our change in summer plans.   
“I’ll see you tomorrow, “whispered Ben as I leaned against the door to my room. Our eyes were locked together and when he kissed me I accepted it. I doubted there would ever be a kiss from him I wouldn’t accept. His kisses were worth their weight in gold.   
“Goodnight,” I smiled as our kiss ended stroking his cheek gently. We parted ways then neither of us aware that dark eyes were on us. If only I had known. But I didn’t, so I just entered my room without a second glance. Evie was there as I expected she would be and she noticed the smile on my face immediately.   
“Guess what?” I exclaimed rushing to her smiling intensely as I jumped onto her bed so I was at her side. I couldn’t wait to tell her all that had happened. Maybe she would have an answer for the feelings Ben brought over me.


	5. I Remember

Ben’s POV…

When I think back on my time with Mal, I always think of her as the one that got away, and that summer with her as my last happy one. It’s moment like that, with her, that have always made me wish I could see the future or even read minds. Maybe if I could have done that, I could have prevented what happened, but I couldn’t, I didn’t. I only have that last summer with her, with our friends, that last memory, and I’ll cherish it forever. Thinking back now, I wish I had found a way to keep that moment, a picture, something, but then again, I didn’t know.   
“Everything falls apart eventually” fairy godmother told me that after it all happened and yet that summer it hadn’t felt that way; it had felt like my time with her would never end and I didn’t want it to.   
“I love you: I whispered to her that summer. I’ll always remember those words. I’d never said them to anyone, but my parents. I’d never felt that way for anyone, but them. So, when I told Mal that, when I told her that I loved her, I meant it, and I still mean it. I only hope she knew that. That she believed me that first time when those words left my lips.   
Because I had never said those words to anyone, I remember being scared to death of them. I almost never said them. I wasn’t sure if she would repeat them back or if they would scare Mal off. I didn’t know what would happen if, and when I said them. I didn’t know how she would respond or if she would. At first, Mal smiled, her eyes glowed that candy green that made my skin hotter, and she took my face in her hands.   
“Ben—I…I love you too” exclaimed Mal her lips slanting against mine. When she said it back all that fear went away. It was like some weight was lifted and wrapping my arms around her, I remember picking her up off her feet. I remember swinging her around and only then did our lips part and a laugh bloomed from her lips. I will always remember that laugh. Hers was always like wind chimes in a thunder storm and looking into her eyes that night, I remember thinking that her laugh matched her eyes perfectly.   
“Mal” I whispered her name as our lips left each other and, in that moment, we were happy. That summer was our last happy moment. The summer went faster then it ever went before, and I wasn’t sure if that was because I was with her or just because my life before her had been relatively boring. Maybe it was both because life was slower once she was gone. I remember walking hand in hand with her all the time. One night, I walked her back to her room, and holding her close I couldn’t help thinking that holding her close felt completely and utterly right. I remember laughing loudly with her not caring if we kept the world awake. I remember swinging her in circles in the most carefree way that I can remember ever being. I remember Mal attacking my lips afterward. How her kiss stopped me mid circle and I remember wanting to push her up against the wall and have her all to myself. I wish I had known I would lose her. I would have done anything to prevent it.   
“You’re so beautiful” I told her that as I held her later against her own door her arms secure around me as mine were hers before turning she opened the door making me follow her inside.   
“You’ve given me the time of my life” whispered Mal breaking away from another kiss.   
I didn’t know what to say in response. I didn’t think there were words. Instead, I smiled her, and responded the only way I could. I kissed her again.   
“Ben” Mal had gasped my name as our lips separated and met again then again. I hoisted her into my arms then making her release a light squeal as I did. Her body hung off mine then as I carried her to her bed and looking at her, I remember her smiling silently telling me it was okay. She wanted this too. I was going to make love to her for the first time tonight that knowledge made me grin as I laid her on the bed. Our eyes never left each other through any of it. They stayed locked and I could feel her anticipation, but also her fear. It was something I wasn’t used to seeing in Mal, so it halted me a moment. Her kiss brought me back and touching my face, I realized, I was nervous too. I’ll never forget that moment or that kiss.   
“I love you, Ben. I want to spend my life loving you” whispered Mal my lips descending on her. Her arms wrapped around me as did her legs and suddenly nothing else was real. There was only Mal and I. I thought we would be together forever, but I didn’t know there were forces stronger then us.


End file.
